To Be American
by XxMrs.xxMalfoyxX
Summary: An American girl gets taken to Hogwarts to be protected from Voldemort who wants her dead. After being sorted into Slytherin, she has to share a room with Malfoy. She didn't think he'd be just like her father. It's time to hide in her closet again.
1. Always Afraid

Chapter 1 - Always Afraid

Thunder sounded outside her bedroom. Time seemed to stand still as she stood in the middle of her room, waiting for the lightning to hit and light her up again. With the power in her house turned off, all she could do was wait.

A knock sounded on her door and she quickly turned to face it, eyes wide with fear.

"Aleigha, sweetie, are you ok?" Her mom's head peaked through the door, and she sighed in relief.

"Mommy, I'm scared." She whispered. The room lit up from the lightning again and she saw his shadow in the corner. She screamed and fell to the floor in tears. Her mom ran to her and cradled her in her arms, whispering soothing words in her ear.

"Shh. It's ok baby, he's gone. He's not going to hurt you anymore. Shh, it's alright."

Her tears slowed and she fell into a restless sleep in her mother's arms.

"Aleigha, come on! You _can't_ be serious!"

"I can, and I am. He totally tried to trash my car!" Aleigha smacked the hood of her beat up, old Chevy truck for emphasis as her best friend Janice rolled her eyes.

"Aleigha, he's like, the nicest guy in school, and he has a _huge_ crush on you. Why would he try and trash your car?" Janice asked as she fingered the red and black beads hanging around her neck.

"I DON'T KNOW! But I saw him with black spray paint, getting ready to spray it on Delphie. And there was more in his backpack." Aleigha got in the truck on the driver's side, and Janice followed suit opposite her.

"Ok, really girl, stop calling your truck Delphie," Aleigha rolled her eyes, "And today was the first day of school. SPIRIT DAY!? Red and black? You did _nothing_. He was probably just trying to help you out.

"Then why did he run for the hills when I caught him?" She started the car and pulled out of the parking lot on the way back to Janice's house.

Janice shrugged, "I don't know. But that's my theory and I'm sticking to it." She smiled.

Aleigha laughed and rolled her eyes again, "Freak." She turned on the stereo to her favorite station and started bobbing her head to T-Pain's Got Money.

"Oh! Ok, so I _finally_ talked to Gordon! He said hi to my in sixth period today, I couldn't _believe_ we had a class together, and we started talking about out summers! Isn't that awesome!?" Janice's eyes were lit up and she had a bright smile on her face.

"That's great, Jan. So are you going to homecoming together?" Aleigha asked.

Janice sighed, "I don't _know_. We just started talking. For all I know, he could think I'm and idiot."

"Aw, come one. He doesn't think that."

"I hope not. He's sooo cute!" Aleigha smiled. Sure, she was happy for her best friend, but she was still jealous. She couldn't have what Janice could. After being abused and raped by her drunken father for the first ten years of her life, she was too afraid to get into any kind of relationship with any man. Unlike Janice who'd had a crush on Gordon for a year and one boy friend before him.

"Al. Al! Are you even listening to me?" She was parked in front of Janice's house, and said girl was waving her hand in front of Aleigha's face.

"Huh? Sorry, what did you say?" Aleigha asked, snapping out of her daze.

"I said, can you pick me up for school tomorrow?"

"Oh, uh, yea." Janice got out and waved goodbye.

"Sweet! Later!" Aleigha waved and drove home in a daze.

It'd been six years since her parents got divorced. She hasn't had to be afraid ever since. But she is. Always. And she sees his face everywhere. During thunderstorms is when it gets the worst. He always did his abusing during the storms, and even though he's gone, she can't help but wonder if he's going to come back and get her.

She parked in her driveway and saw her mom in the front yard, gardening. "Hey mom. Is Ronan home yet?"

Her mom shook her head, "No, he should be home soon though." Ronan was her seven year old brother. He was only a year old when their parents divorced, so he doesn't remember their father. But she was glad for that. She didn't want him to ruin Ronan's life like he ruined hers. She would've killed him if he had.

Aleigha nodded and went inside. She dropped her backpack on the couch and went to the kitchen for a snack. As she was opening a stackers lunch able, Ronan came in.

"Anything good for snack today?" Ronan asked.

She shook her head, "Nope, same ol', same ol'."

"Anthony says hi." Ronan sat at the table across from her with his lunch able. Aleigha just cocked an eyebrow. "He likes you and it drives me nuts."

Aleigha laughed, "Oh, that's hilarious!"

"Shut up." She kept laughing so he threw a cracker at her.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry. It's just really funny."

"Is not."

"Oh, come on! He's got a crush! It's cute!" Ronan glared at her, "Fine, fine. I'll shut up."

"Thank you." Aleigha chuckled and got up and ruffled his hair.

"No problem, shrimp." Then she dumped her garbage and went to grab her backpack before running upstairs to her room.


	2. Reused Gum

**YAY!!! I got a review! Thanks a lot, and I hope this one is better than the last one!**

Chapter 2 – Reused Gum

The sound of quick, repeated thumping woke Aleigha up the next morning. She sleepily rubbed her eyes, then looked at the digital clock next to her bed.

"7:45. SHIT! I'm gonna be late for school!" She threw the blankets off of her and scrambled to get dressed and brush her hair. Then she grabbed her backpack and was out the door before her mom could say goodbye.

She got to Janice's house in record time.

"What the hell took you so long!?" Janice yelled as she got in the truck. Aleigha was driving again before the door closed.

"My alarm clock didn't go off. Now put your seat belt on before you get me a ticket."

"I don't think _that's_ what'll get you the ticket." Aleigha looked at her speedometer to see she was going barely over the speed limit. But she didn't slow.

She parked outside East town High School five minutes before the bell rang and she and Janice ran to get to first period math. Happiness seemed to drain from her soul as the late bell rang before they got there.

"And you thought you hated life before." Janice whispered as the stepped through the door. Aleigha gulped. Mr. Slater was taking attendance and they quietly sat in their seats. Aleigha gave Janice a smile and thumbs-up. Janice returned the gesture before sticking her tongue out and putting her thumb down. Aleigha gulped again and sat waiting in her seat

When the bell rang, she stood to leave.

"Aleigha and Janice, please stay after class." Mr. Slater said. They looked at each other hesitantly, but went to his desk. "The two of you have thirty minutes of detention after school tonight for being late. You'll be scraping the gum off the undersides of the desks. Don't be late or it'll be and hour. You're excused." The both nodded and left silently.

"He really scares me sometimes." Aleigha whispered to Janice after they got through the door. Janice just nodded, eyes wide.

After school, Aleigha and Janice ran back to Mr. Slater's classroom for detention. He handed the each a scraper and the got to work.

"So did you talk to Gordon again today?" Aleigha asked as she slid under the desk.

"Yeah. Mrs. Kallis assigned up partners for the start of year project. We have to do a report on the effects of World War II." Janice replied.

"Well, there's your first date. Go to his house to work on the project, take a break, and POOF! You have your first date." Aleigha scraped off a piece of gum, and just as it fell, she opened her mouth to say something more. The gum fell in her mouth and she began to cough and choke. Janice looked over just as she coughed up the gum. "Oh, gross."

"What the hell was that?" Janice asked.

"A piece of gum fell in my mouth."

Janice cringed, "Ew." Aleigha put the gum in a garbage can next to her and went back to scraping, being sure to keep her mouth closed.

They finished their work in silence. When the half hour was up, they returned the scrapers and went out to the parking lot. The sky was a dark gray, causing Aleigha to shiver. They got in her truck and drove to Janice's house.

"So Kevin asked about you today." Janice said as they walked up her front steps and into her house.

"Uhm, when? And why?" Aleigha asked.

"Third. He wanted to know if you had a date to homecoming yet."

Aleigha furrowed her eyebrows as she dropped her backpack on Janice's kitchen table. "What's it matter to him?"

Janice sighed, "Duh! He wants to go with you! Sheesh, you're dense." She popped a cherry tomato in her mouth while searching the fridge for something more to eat.

"What'd you tell him?" Aleigha sat on a bar stool, the black seat moving to the shape of her butt. They were really comfortable stools.

"No, of course. I thought you'd figure that one out one your own." Aleigha sighed and Janice sat across from her at the table with a bag of Doritos. "Oh, give hi a chance, Als. You might find you like him."

"No. And that's final. Now let's get our math done. I don't want to get on Mr. Slater's bad side." Janice nodded once and they each got out their math books.

Pencils scratched across their paper, and then were silenced before going back to scratching. The clock ticked every second, then bonged at the hour. The sky darkened as they kept a steady pace on their work. When the math was finished, English was quickly started. The clock bonged again, and again, signaling six o'clock. Their work would've taken less than three hours if they hadn't been zoning out after every question.

Thunder sounded from outside and Aleigha tensed, her spine becoming stick straight and her eyes wide. Lightning lit up the sky and she began shaking.

Janice looked up from her work, "Als? Are you ok?"

Aleigha looked at her, then to the clock, then back to her, "Actually, uhm, I should probably be getting home." She began packing her things.

"But-" Aleigha slung her backpack over her shoulder and was out the door faster than a jackrabbit on speed.

She drove through the pouring rain, gripping the wheel of her truck until her knuckles turned white. She clicked on the heater in hopes of calming her shivers. It didn't work. The rain and windshield wipers blurred her vision, making her afraid to drive. But she soon got home and pulled into her driveway.

Her mom was at work until ten and Ronan was at his friend Daniel's house until seven when Daniel's parents would bring him home. So the house was empty when she ran in.

The shut and locked the door, then ran to lock the back door and all the windows. Then she ran to her room and into her closet to hide. She knew she was safe and he wasn't going to come back, but it have become a habit for her to hide in her closet when he _was_ there. But he always found her.

And so she sat. Waiting out the storm, and praying for her mom to come home early.


	3. Living in a Thunder Storm

Disclaimer: I realized I didn't put one of these in the first chapter, so I'm doing it now...I don't own Harry Potter or anything found in those books, no matter how much I wish I did. I do, however, own Aleigha, her family, and the plot to this story. Yea...ON TO THE STORY!!!

The closet got colder by the second. Aleigha sat in the fetal position in the back corner, shivering, and hiding behind the hanging clothes.

She knew Janice was probably confused as to why she ran out so quick, but she'd never know. No one besides her mother knew she was terrified of thunder storms, and she'd try and keep it that way.

Time seemed to tick by so slowly. What seemed like five seconds was really five minutes.

Then she heard the front door open and close. She checked her watch to see she still had thirty minutes until Ronan was due home. This caused her to shake harder and shrink farther back into her corner.

There was rustling coming from the living room, then mumbling, then someone stepping softly up the stairs.

She hugged her knees tightly and cried into her arms as silently as she could.

"This room's empty." It was a woman's voice.

"She's got to be here somewhere." This one was a man. He sounded old and haggard.

"This is the last room." Another woman's voice. She sounded kind, but Aleigha was still terrified. She knew the woman was coming into her room.

She heard the woman searching her room, then her closet door opened. Light flooded the closet and she shrank back further inter her corner to stay in shadow.

Darkness fell over the light in front of her and the clothes were moved, bringing her out of hiding. Aleigha looked up at the woman, her tears blurring her vision. The woman had purple hair, average height, and a kind face.

"Are you Aleigha Marion Winters?" the woman asked. Aleigha, still shaking, nodded. "Mad-Eye, she's in here." she yelled out to the bedroom, then turned back to Aleigha. "I'm Tonks. Can you come out of the closet, please?"

Aleigha shook her head and buried her face in her arms again.

Tonks knelt down in front of her, "We're not going to hurt you. We're here to protect you."

"F-from what?" Aleigha asked, her voice wobbling.

"We'll explain when you come out." Tonks reached her hand out. Aleigha looked at it, hesitated, then slowly took it. Tonks helped her stand up and led her out of the closet. There were four other people in her room. One was a short, older guy with an eye that seemed to zoom everywhere and a large walking stick. But it was hard for her not to focus on the eye.

Another person was a woman with long, blonde hair and a face beginning to wrinkle. There wasn't much special about her.

On man was taller with brown hair and a very serious face.

And the last man was tall and black. He was wearing what looked like traditional African clothes. He, too, looked very kind.

The amount of people in her room frightened her, but she didn't see her father, which eased her shaking a bit.

"Aleigha, this is Mad-Eye Moody," she pointed to the man with the zooming eye. It was easy to see why he was called Mad-Eye, "Kingsley Shacklebolt," she pointed to the man with the African looking clothes, "Sturgis Podmore," This was the man with the serious face, "And Hestia Jones." This was the other woman. She smiled and gave a little wave. Aleigha didn't say anything, just stood there, staring at the floor to keep herself from staring at Moody's eye.

Tonks put her hand on Aleigha's shoulder and led her down to the dining room, followed by the other four.

They all sat around the table. It was silent for a moment. Aleigha looked at the clock, the back at the table, twiddling her thumbs. There were still twenty minutes until Ronan came home. She was hoping to get these people out of her house before that happened.

"Aleigha, we need you to come with us." It was Mad-Eye who spoke.

Aleigha looked up in shock, "Why?"

"Professor Dumbledore will explain when we get to Hogwarts." Hestia said.

"No. No, I want to stay here." Thunder boomed, causing Aleigha to start shaking again.

"We can't allow that, Ms. Winters." Kingsley said.

Tonks sighed, "Here's a letter from the professor. Maybe it'll change you mind." She slid a letter across the table and Aleigha picked it up. Across it was written:  
Aleigha M. Winters  
Upstairs Bedroom on the Right  
216 Leaver Road  
Portland, Oregon

She broke the wax seal on the envelope and pulled out the letter. She felt the air get pushed out of her lungs and she squeezed her eyes shut. Soon, she felt herself hit the ground. She took in a deep breath and opened her eyes.

She wasn't in her dining room anymore.

A/N: There's part 3!!! Little bit of a cliffhanger there. Not very good at those, but there it is. Also, I don't think Leaver Road is an actual road in Portland(even though I used to live in there) but I didn't feel like looking it up...so if anyone knows an actually road there and wants to let me know...review and I'll change it. Hope u liked! I'll try to get the next part up as soon as possible!

-


	4. So Confused

**A/N: Ok, YES I realize I haven't updated in…Forever, but I've been sooooo busy lately and never have the time. I'm working on it though! I really hope y'all like this one because it could be the last one for a while. So sorry, but I just can't get any up lately.**

**But anyway…Here's the story…**

Aleigha was on her hands and knees in front of a large oak desk. Behind the desk was an old man. He had a long white beard, a royal purple robe, and half moon glasses with sparkling blue eyes behind them. His whole aura made him seem too wise for his own good.

To Aligha's left were two people. And old woman with a stern face, a green robe, and a matching pointed hat that was flopped over to the side.

Next to her was a man with greesy black hair, a black robe, and he looked to Aligha like he was constipated. But she obviously didn't voice this. She was afraid of him from first glance.

On her right were two more people. Well, one person, (who looked to short with too big of feet to be a person), and one who was silver and see through. She took him to be some kind of ghost, even though she didn't believe in them.

She looked back to the man behind the desk. He looked quiet amused. He picked up a bowl from the side of his desk and held it out to her.

"Lemon drop?" he asked in a British accent. Everyone looked at him in shock. Aleigha shook her head no, but made no move to stand up. He nodded and set the bowl back down, "Yes, well, I think I fancy one myself." He popped one in his mouth, then sat in the chair behind him.

It was silent again. The man behind the desk was staring at the ceiling. He seemed to be zoned out. The other four were looking at each other, probably wondering what to do or say.

Aleigha stood up and cleared her throat, causing them all to look at her.

"Ah, right. I suppose I should introduce myself. Have a seat." The old man gestured to the chair to her right, so she sat down. "I am Professor Dumbledore. This is Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape." These were the two on her left, the woman then the scary guy in their respective places. "An this is Professor Flitwick," this was the short guy to her right, "And professor Binns." That was the ghost.

Aleigha nodded but didn't say anything.

"I know you're confused as to why you're here," she nodded again, "but I assure you it is for your protection. You see, there is a very dark wizard after you. This came to our attention about a year ago. We've been looking for you ever since. As has he.

" We needed to find you first so he didn't kill you, or your family. When we found you, I sent a team of auras to your house to bring you here, because this is the safest place for you. The letter was a port key in case you didn't cooperate."

Aleigha's eyes went wide and she stuttered when she finally spoke, "B-but why does h-he want…m-me?"

Dumbledore sighed and shook his head, "We haven't figured that part out yet. But until and when we do, you will be kept safe. For we believe he has found your home and is planning an attack."

Aleigha jumped out of her chair and glared at him, "And what about my family, huh!?" she yelled, "If he wants me dead, he'll go after my family to get to me! I'd rather stay home and get killed to keep them safe instead of running like a coward and let _them_ get killed!!"

Dumbledore smiled, causing Aleigha to glare harder, "Your family will be safe. In fact, I believe your brother is already at Headquarters waiting for your mother."

Aleigha's face softened, "So they're safe then?" Dumbledore nodded. "Can I see them?"

He sighed again, "I'm afraid not. You must stay here for your safety. We already have a few rooms ready for you, but to decide which one you'll be staying in, you need to be sorted into your house."

"My house?" Aleigha asked in confusion.

Dumbledore nodded, "There are four houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. These are the heads of those houses. Which house you will be in will be decided tomorrow morning at breakfast. For tonight you will be staying in the hospital wing. Professor McGonagall will escort you there.

Aleigha nodded and looked at Professor McGonagall. She swept her arm toward the door in a gesture saying 'this way'. She let McGonagall lead her out of the office, down a set of stairs that twisted to take them to the bottom, and down about thirty halls, all with the walls full of moving paintings. At first Aleigha was focused on remembering which direction they were going in, but getting lost after the seventh right and fifth left caused her to focus on the moving paintings, which in the end would cause her nightmares.

They finally stepped through a very large set of double doors and a somewhat short, pudgy woman immediately cam out of an office in the back of the room.

"Ah, professor. What can I do for you?" the woman asked.

McGonagall placed her hand on Aleigha's shoulder and said, after looking about the room, "I need a private bed for Ms. Winters please. She's not to be known about by anyone until tomorrow morning."

"Why not?" Aleigha asked.

"Dumbledore's orders." McGonagall nodded to the woman and swept out of the room

Aleigha looked at the woman across from her who was smiling serenely. "I'm Madam Pomfrey. But please, call me Poppy. I find it much preferred."

"Uhm, Aleigha Winters. Nice to meet you, Poppy." Poppy smiled again and led her into the office she'd come out of and into a connected room with only a bed. The room was small and completely white, and the bed looked hard as a rock. However, after saying goodnight to Poppy, who nodded and closed the door, she sat on the bed and practically melted in it, it was so soft.

She was asleep almost immediately after she laid down.

**A/N: Aaaaaaaaand that's the end…for now anyway. I hope you liked it and I'm sorry the next one wont be up for a while, probably not until summer starts in June. BUT I'LL TRY!!! **

**Reviews are always welcome and appreciated!!!**

**Love y'all!**


	5. Sorting

**A/N: Well…don't I just suck. Fifth chapter after…wow almost a year! MY CHEESE!!! IM SO SORRY!!! I really appreciate any faithful readers I may have and please don't hate me? I'm going to try A LOT harder to update more. Just so you all know…doesn't make me suck any less for taking so long…but I'll try harder. **

"Gooooooooooood morning, Deary! You best wake up now before you're late for your sorting ceremony! Come on! Up, up! I have your robes here and your wand and books which Dumbledore took the time to get for you, and your owl is up in the owlry. You can name him after classes today! Now get UP!" Aleigha opened her eyes a smidge, only to squeeze them back shut again and pull the blankets over her head to go back to sleep. She'd never been a morning person. Poppy yanked them right back off her and proceeded to drag her out of bed. Literally.

Aleigha obviously wasn't happy about this.

As Poppy grabbed her ankles and began pulling her out of the bed, Aleigha grabbed the top of the mattress and pulled it down as well, so when she hit the floor, she was actually still on the bed. 'I'm such a cheater' she thought as she started to go back to sleep.

Poppy hit her with a pillow, "Get out of bed NOW!!!"

Aleigha did her best to block her face and still sleep, but she failed and opted for getting out of bed instead, "Alright, alright! I'm up, sheesh. Has anyone ever told you you're crazy?"

"No, you're the first. Now get up."

Aleigha finally did as told and lifted her lazy butt off the mattress. She went to the mirror to fix her hair then dressed in what she felt was the most hideous outfit she had ever seen. But with the knee high black socks and the skirt that she rolled up to her mid thigh...she thought she looked pretty damn good.

"Is Ms. Winters ready?" Aleigha heard McGonagall ask from outside. Poppy promptly answered with a no as Aleigha came out with her book-bag slung over her shoulder.

"Or...I guess she is ready. Have a good day Ms. Winters and try not to get into trouble on your first day of classes."

"Yea yea, that's what they always say. See ya!" Aleigha followed McGonagall out of the hospital wing, down a few hallways, and finally to a huge friggin' door that Aleigha found completely unnecessary since she'd never seen anyone that big.

McGonagall stopped "Now, Ms. Winters, we will go in, you will follow me to the front where you will sit on the stool and I will place the sorting hat on your head. The hat will judge you based on what it finds in your head, and place you into the house it feels will suit you best. Are you ready?"

Aleigha stood a moment collecting her nerves, then nodded. The doors opened, and she followed just as she had been told. Unfortunately, she didn't realize how big the school actually was. Four long tables lined the room. At each table, easily two hundred students sat. She started shaking. Her nerves were going so fast she couldn't tell if she was nervous, worried, sad, happy, or flat out terrified. So she did the only thing she knew she could. Do as she was told and sit on the stool, all whilst praying that the stool wouldn't make noise as she shook. Then the hat was placed on her head and through the silence she heard a voice. Not one she'd ever heard before, and yet somehow, it seemed familiar.

"A little scared are you?" it asked.

"Are you my conscious?" she asked back.

"No, I'm the sorting hat." the voice replied.

She glared at the ceiling since she couldn't actually see the hat, "Then shut up! I am not scared!" what she didn't realize, was that the whole hall was staring at her like she was crazily talking to a magic hat. Of course, that was exactly what she was doing so they had a right to be staring at her like that. Didn't mean she had to like it.

"You seem like a very excitable girl." the hat said.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Aleigha asked.

"You get angry very easily."

"Yes, and?"

"But you also are very brave even thought you have had a dangerously hard life."

"So?"

"Smart. Very smart. Yet very shy and worried of what others think of you."

"Would you get out of my head?!"

"I am sorry, but I'm afraid that isn't possible. So...Seeing as how you would do well in any one of these four houses, which one do you belong in?"

"Anywhere I won't be notice."

"Not noticed, eh? Well then, better be...SLYTHERIN!!!"

The hall was silent. McGonagall gave Aleigha a piece of paper that she looked at as the hat was removed from her head. The crest was a snake so she opted to go sit at the table with the Slytherin crest over it. That seed like the way to go to her. But something seemed off. Shouldn't her fellow house members be welcoming her in some way? 'It's probably since I can't do magic and they're skeptical. Oh well, whatever. The less I get noticed, the better.'

A blonde boy scooted over next to her, "The name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Aleigha giggled, "Are you a spy?"

Draco raised an eyebrow at her, "No, why?"

"Cause you sound like Bond. James Bond." she did her best James Bond impression but figured she did it wrong since he didn't look any less confused.

"And who might that be?" Draco asked.

"Uh, never mind." she tried to look engrossed in her dinner so he would leave her alone, but he didn't seem to take hints well.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Aleigha Winters."

"And you must be from America. Am I correct?"

"Uhm...Yes, why?" something about this guy didn't feel right. Kids from other tables were glaring at the two of them so obviously no one liked him. Or maybe it was her they didn't like? But why? She was new and they had no reason to dislike her.

"Is it nice there? Or is it as bad as I've heard?" Draco snapped her back to reality.

"Not really? What's with the twenty questions?" she asked.

"I'm just curious."

'Curious? Or horny?' she wondered to herself as his hand began sliding up her skirt. "You disgusting perv!!!" She slapped his hand away and stood to glare down at him, "Look Malfoy, just because I'm new doesn't mean I'll be your new toy! I know your kind and I won't deal with it! Got it!?" With that, she stormed off in hopes of finding her first class.

The door slammed behind her as she left the dining hall and she shivered in fear.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Aleigha! Get your ass back here!!!"

Aleigha ran to her closet again. It was her only refuge from her crazed father. But of course, she wasn't able to get away for long.

"There you are sweetie. What's the matter?" His nice guy act. If she didn't play along it would hurt worse.

"I'm scared, daddy. I don't want you to hurt me anymore." a five year old Aleigha whispered.

"Really? But I thought you liked it? Don't you?" He sat next to her and hugged her as she shook.

She thought. It was either say yes and only get hurt for an hour or two, or say no and get beat all night. "Yes, Daddy. I like it very much."

"There's my sweet little girl. Now let's get out of this stuffy closet, huh?" He stood and grabbed the collar of her shirt. He dragged her out of the closet and threw her on the bed then glared at her as he came toward her and unbuckled his belt.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End Flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Aleigha stood staring at the staircase in front of her. She still stood in front of the dining hall door having not moved an inch since she left. But she heard the door open, quickly took a deep breath and went to take a step forward.

"Are you alright?" Aleigha heard someone say behind her.

She turned around and saw a very pretty girl with curly brown hair, brown eyes and a slight build. She hadn't adjusted the uniform to suit her and yet it still flattered her even though she really didn't seem to care. "Uhm, yea why?"

She chuckled, "Well, it's just that I've never heard anyone talk to Malfoy that way."

"So then am I to take it that he's the school bully?" Aleigha smiled.

"Only slightly." the girl said sarcastically with a smile and an eye roll, "So what's your name then?"

"Aleigha Winters." she said while wondering how many times she'd have to say that.

"I'm Hermione Granger. It's really nice to meet you. How is it that you got into Slytherin when you seem so nice?"

Aleigha cocked her eyebrow, "Is there something wrong with Slytherin?" she looked down at her schedule to see that Potions with Professor Snape was her first class. Then she looked around trying to decide which way to go.

"How about I explain while I show you how to get to-" Hermione looked at her schedule, "Potions! That's my first class too!" Hermione smiled and went down the stairs Aleigha had previously been staring at. Aleigha obviously followed.

"Ok, so what's wrong with Slytherin?" Aleigha asked.

"Well for one thing, they think they're better than everyone else because they're all purebloods." Hermione said it like she positively hated the word, which was rather odd. "You can't get in unless you're pureblood which is really stupid. Anyway, for two, they almost always turn evil. It's like a disease you get from being in that house."

Aleigha thought for a moment. Pureblood was a new concept to her. As far as she knew, not all of them were pureblood. But she was just going on race considering that was the only kind of pureblood she knew of, "Wait, what do you mean by pureblood?"

"Your whole family can do magic and no one in your family as far back as you can go was unable to. You didn't know that?" Hermione looked at her weird.

"Uhm, was I supposed to?" Aleigha asked.

Hermione shrugged, "Well I figured you would as you're obviously pureblood."

"I'm not." Aleigha replied, "I'm pretty sure my mom would tell me if she could do magic. I probably just got some kind of special gene." Hermione stopped her and turned her to take her by the shoulders and stare at her, "What?"

"Your parents couldn't do magic?"

"No." Hermione's eyes bugged out of her head, "What?"

"You have to get out of Slytherin!" Hermione yelled, then checked her voice and started whispering, "If they find out you're not a pureblood they'll torture you mercilessly."

Aleigha turned her and forced her to keep walking, "Well, as long as you don't tell anybody, I think I'll be fine."

Hermione crossed her arms, "And what do you plan to do about Malfoy?"

"I plan to ignore him and punch him in the face if he tries anything again." Aleigha replied with a shrug. But she couldn't help wondering if she would even have the nerve.

"Here's the class!" Hermione seemed excited yet hesitant. Aleigha opened the door and went in first taking a seat in the back while Hermione went to the front. It was a cold dark room well below the rest of the castle. It looked like a lecture hall to her, with a bunch of cauldrons at each desk. They kind of freaked her out. But, being a girl that had never even believed that magic was real (especially after not having magic ever save her) it wasn't surprising.

It wasn't long before the rest of the class started filing in. Hermione was at the front reading and Aleigha had fallen asleep at her desk being awoken by a scary looking girl slamming her books down on the seat next to her. Aleigha looked up at her without raising her head from her crossed arms. The girl just glared back at her and took her seat and smiled at the front. 'Great, I'm sitting next to a brown noser.' Aleigha thought as she put her head back down.

"Open your books to page 478!" Professor Snape said as he came into the room. He was still rather creepy looking with an even creepier face, so she hastily took out her book with the title Potions for the Sixth Year Student, and opened it to the previously mentioned page. Then she shivered a little at the picture on the page. At the top was the name of the potion, and below it was a picture of a guy with boils all over his body.

"You all know the rules of this classroom so I want you to get started on the potion and when you're finished, put it in one of the vials on my desk and turn it in. Tomorrow we will get into the actually function of the potion and its ingredients.

Aleigha did as she was told, hoping only to get through the first day of classes. So far, she wasn't so sure she would much like being a witch.

**A/N: There's chapter 5! I think that's the longest one I've written so far…YAY ME! Haha! Chapter 6 up Saturday! I PROMISE!!! And just because I ALWAYS takes me a long time to write a chapter, I'll start now lol**

**Reviews are much appreciated! Love y'all!!!**


	6. Day 1 Of 179

**A/N: HA! I did it!!! Woot! Be proud of me lol this is chapter 6, just as I promised xD I hope you like it!**

Aleigha's day seemed to take forever to end. Potions creeped her out. Some boy whose name she found out to be Neville made his potion blow up and her own turned out to be green slop when it was supposed to be a royal purple juice. Her second hour Herbology scared her half to death with a man-eating plant that she had to repot.

During her free third hour, Professor Dumbledore showed her to her room. He told her that it was the only Slytherin room left and she'd only have one roommate. But it was a nice room with a living area and small kitchen like area next to it. Unfortunately the two bedrooms shared a bathroom that was right in between the rooms so she could easily get to her roommates room any time she wanted. She figured it'd be smarter if she didn't do that though.

Then she had lunch. All meals were taken in the dining hall (which she found out from over hearing other peoples conversations was actually called the Great Hall. Fitting name by her standards.) so when she got there she sat at the table she had sat at earlier that day. She got lucky and it happened to be the right one.

Since she seemed to so far be the school loner, she sat at the end of the table by herself. Thinking she got lucky getting to sit alone, she happily ate her wonderful ham and cheese sandwich with crackers on the side. It reminded her of home so she was happy. Until Malfoy decided to ruin her happiness. He sat next to her and took a ladle full of soup for his lunch. Then he ate it with no acknowledgement of her. Or so she thought.

"How's your first day?" he asked her after setting aside his bowl.

"Fine." was all she said. Then she stood, picked up her book bag and left the hall. He didn't follow her and she went straight to fourth hour Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall.

She sat in the back looking over the first chapter in her book. Apparently she'd have to try transfiguring a mouse into a blank book sometime within the week. This made her sorely unhappy. She really liked mice.

Hermione came in and sat next to her as she shook from the creepiness of writing in a book made of mouse. "Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh yea. Just thinking about the creepiness that comes along with transfiguration. Don't you think it would be gross to write in a book made of mouse?" Aleigha asked.

"Not really since it won't actually be made of mouse, just transfigured from mouse." Hermione took out her book and opened to the page Aleigha was on so she could continue to debate, which ended up not being needed.

"Well, I still find it creepy." Aleigha closed her book and pushed it away then sat staring at her hands, "So, what if I can't do magic? What if they were wrong? Do you think Dumbledore will send me home?"

Hermione looked at her, confused, "I don't think so. He obviously brought you here for reason so you'll probably stay here."

Aleigha sighed, "He said some guy named Voldemort was after me and wanted me dead, but he wasn't sure why?" a single tear slid down her cheek but she wiped it away before Hermione could see.

"Voldemort? He's after you? But why? Have we missed something?" by this time she was talking to herself and it made Aleigha slightly uncomfortable.

"Who exactly is Voldemort?"

This snapped the girl back to reality, "Voldemort is the leader of the Slytherins. He's the one that turns them evil." she opened her mouth to say something more, but two boys walked into the classroom. One was twice Aleigha's height (or at least it seemed that way, but she was incredibly short) with red hair and blue eyes. He looked shy, and rather grungy. The other boy was just a little shorter than the red head and had shaggy black hair, emerald green eyes, glasses, and was rather adorable by Aleigha's standards. And yet, they both glared right at her as they walked in.

"'Mione, why are you talking to the bloody Slytherin?" the red-head asked rather angrily.

Hermione looked up surprised, "Oh! Aleigha, this is Harry Potter," she pointed to the cute boy, "And this is Ron Weasley." that was the red-head.

"Uh, hi." she waved a little, but they just kept glaring at her.

"Guys, this is Aleigha Winters. Oh stop looking at her like that!" Hermione rolled her eyes at Aleigha, "She doesn't really belong in Slytherin. She's a muggle born like me and, as far as I can tell, knows nothing about magic as of yet."

Ron's eye bugged out of his head, "If you're not a pureblood, how in bloody hell did you get into Slytherin!?"

"Ronald! Keep your voice down!" Hermione scolded.

"I don't believe her." Harry said with narrowed eyes. He went to sit at a desk in the middle of the room and Ron shrugged and followed, reminding Aleigha of a puppy she once had that followed her everywhere.

Hermione sighed, "I'll talk to him. He's a good guy really, you'll like him. He just has problems with trust. Especially when it comes to someone that could be an enemy." she lowered her voice a few octaves, "Which he thinks is everyone." then she giggled a little before smiling at Aleigha and moving to sit directly in front of Harry and Ron, who had their heads together and whispering about something.

Aleigha sat staring at her hands. The fact that they didn't like her got on her nerves a bit. But she wasn't quite sure why. People not liking her had never bugged her before. In fact, she couldn't care less if anyone liked her. But what Harry did really hurt her feelings.

She shook her head and ignored it as the students filed in and class began.

By the time classes were over, Aleigha was wiped out. She sat at dinner with Malfoy on her right, some pig name Goyle on her left, a cutie but a jerk name Zabini directly across from Malfoy with an annoying twit if a girl named Parkinson on his right and pig number two next to her whose name was Crabbe. And yet, she couldn't have cared less. She ate; almost fell asleep in her mashed potatoes (Zabini saved her. So much for jerk), then pushed her plate away and rested her head on her arms. The only thing that was able to wake her up was the slamming of the Great Hall doors as two students left for bed. She decided to follow.

When she got to the painting of the two snakes with ruby eyes, she gave the password, Letum, and fell on the couch in front of the fire, intending to fall asleep right there. She was succeeding until she heard someone yell, "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing in my common room!?!?!?"

Aleigha sat up and looked around dazedly, being just on the verge of sleep, "Who died?!?" then she saw Malfoy and calmed down a bit, "Aw, YOU'RE my roommate? Ew."

"I beg your pardon? You are NOT my roommate!" he yelled.

"Actually, Malfoy, I am." she stood and smiled at him in sweet justice, "See, this happens to be the only Slytherin room left, so I have to sleep here. If you don't like it, feel free to sleep in the hall." She turned around and went up to her room leaving Malfoy standing there, dumbfounded. When she got to her room, Aleigha fell face first onto her bed and didn't wake up until her alarm went off in the morning.

**A/N: There's chapter 6!!! It's a bit on the short side, but I type them on my iPod and that makes them seem longer . I'll work on that lol. I really should get to work on my other stories. They're all written up; I just have to type them. Sorry for the wait on those but at least I was able to keep my promise and get this chapter up today! Yay me! Haha**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated!! Thanks guys! Love y'all! :)**


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